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But in the United Kingdom, they’ve been pairing comedy and global health for years, with great success. It happens on Red Nose Day, when people throughout the U.K. put on a clownish red nose to draw attention to global health. There is also a telethon that raises tens of millions of pounds. It’s the brainchild of Richard Curtis, the writer-director behind Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Love Actually.

This year, Richard is exporting Red Nose Day to the United States to raise money for four amazing, life-saving organizations: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria; Save the Children; and Oxfam America. It’s great to see them getting this attention, because they are some of the most effective organizations I know for helping people in poor countries improve their lives.

If you care about these issues, this is a fantastic opportunity to help out. I’d encourage you to tune in tonight starting at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central on NBC and make a pledge if you can. If you want a taste of what you’ll be seeing, here’s a short video that Melinda and I put together with Richard: